The present invention relates to a drum pedal. More particularly this invention concerns a double pedal for a bass drum.
A standard drum pedal as described in German patent document 3,327,687 has a base plate that sits on the floor and that has an outer end normally cast unitarily with a pair of posts and adapted to be secured to the edge of the drum whose skin is oriented vertically in front of it. The posts carry bearings holding a horizontal shaft on which is mounted a beater mount, a sprocket wheel, and a spring crank. A pedal has an inner end pivoted on an inner end of the base plate and an outer end underneath the shaft and connected to the lower end of a chain looped over the sprocket and having an upper end fixed to the sprocket. The beater mount holds a shaft of a beater having a head engageable with the drum skin. The spring crank is connected offset from the shaft axis to the upper end of a tension spring whose lower end is anchored to the base plate so this spring urges the shaft into a position holding the beater head horizontally offset from the drum and holding the outer end of the pedal elevated. Thus when the pedal outer end is pressed down, the shaft is rotated to tension the spring and bring the beater head into engagement with the drum skin. When the pedal is released the spring retracts the beater head and raises the pedal.
Such a mechanism must be able to withstand substantial mechanical abuse. In its normal use it will be actuated thousands of times in a single session, often with considerable force. Hence the one-piece cast nature of the base plate and posts, typically of an aluminum alloy. As a result this part is quite expensive to manufacture and must be custom made, from its own die, for each different model of pedal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,235 of Lombardi discloses a double bass-drum pedal. Here there are two separate pedal assemblies. The first one corresponds to that described above, minus the beater mount. The second one is substantially different, with one of the posts formed as a Y to provide a central pivot point for two separate but coaxial shafts, one of which carries a spring crank and beater mount as described above and the other of which only carries a beater mount. This other shaft is coupled via a connecting rod and two cardan joints to the shaft of the first pedal assembly. Thus two beaters can be set in the mounts of the second pedal assembly, one of which is actuated by the pedal of the first assembly and the other of which is actuated by the pedal of the second assembly. The heads of the beaters can be the same to allow for double-time bass-drumming, or they can be different to allow the drummer different sounds depending on which pedal he or she uses. The base plate and post structure for the second pedal assembly is quite complex and makes this piece of equipment very expensive.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved drum pedal assembly.
Another object is the provision of such an improved drum pedal assembly which overcomes the above-given disadvantages, that is which can be adapted for use as a single or double drum pedal and that is simple to repair and/or modify in the field.
A further object is to design a pedal assembly whose parts are modular so that they can be used on different types of pedal assembly.
A drum pedal assembly has according to the invention a base plate adapted to sit on the floor and having an outer end adapted to be juxtaposed with a drum and an opposite inner end and a pedal pivoted on the base-plate inner end. A pair of posts having upper and lower ends are releasably fixed at the base-plate outer end with the posts generally parallel and vertical. Respective bearings on the post upper ends support a shaft carrying a beater mount. Mechanism links the pedal to the shaft for rotation of the shaft on depression of the pedal.
Thus according to the invention it is not necessary to provide a new complexly casted piece for each model of pedal. The base plate, for example, can be used for single- or double-pedal systems. In fact the same posts can be employed in both such systems. The result is a substantial saving in manufacturing costs. In addition this type of construction makes servicing of the pedal assembly, which as mentioned above takes a terrible beating in normal se, relatively easy. In fact the base plate can be formed with several sets of post sockets so that the system can be rebuilt in the field, and one casting is used for many different types of pedal assemblies.
According to the invention a support rod extends parallel to and below the shaft and has outer ends releasably fixed in the posts. A support block releasably fixed to the support rod between the posts holds a bearing supporting the shaft between the posts. For maximum rigidity of the support block the rod is of polygonal section and the posts have complementary seats for the rod outer ends.
More particularly in accordance with the invention the shaft has two coaxial and separate parts having outer ends journaled in the respective post upper ends and opposite inner ends. The inner end of one of the shaft parts is supported in the bearing of the support block. Another support block fixed to the support rod holds another bearing supporting the inner end of the other shaft part. One of the beater mounts is carried on one of the shaft parts, and another beater mount is carried on the other of the shaft parts. In this system the pedal has a pair of independently operable pedal parts and the mechanism includes a pair of independent linkages connecting the respective pedal parts to the respective shaft parts. One of the linkages includes a flexible element connecting the respective pedal part to the respective shaft part. The other of the linkages includes a push rod connecting the respective pedal part to the respective shaft part. The two pedal parts are pivoted together between opposite inner and outer ends of the pedal and are independently operable so that a user can operate one of the pedal parts with the toe of a foot and the other pedal part with the heel of the same foot. Such a system allows one foot to produce two distinct bass-drum effects, and the pedal assembly can be used on the right or left foot with no modification.